Page 84 of The Secrets She Keeps

“I killed a man, Barratt. Maybe…maybe even…killed two men. One wasn’t moving when I got away. He is probably dead. The other man isdefinitelydead. I had…a box cutter. It was really sharp. It was…one of the really big ones too. Industrial. I cut my hand on it too. I had…a pipe…too. I did what I had to do. I had to do it. I did. And then I climbed out a window while his friends were setting the building on fire. And then I got away.”

“Where…where were you? Where did those bastards take you, baby? Where are they now?”

“Luc’s warehouse. Another one. Older than the first. They took me to Luc’s warehouses southeast of town after Powell got away. I could see the signs. There is one of your sister’s billboards right by the entrance. I thought that was ironic. They were going to kill me there, in spite of theirbosshaving told them not to, they were so angry she got away. And they were burning the evidence. Leavingmethere for him to find. But Luc wouldn’t care aboutme.Not me—I’m just his…half aunt, not his sister. He doesn’t even care about Cashie or Crispin, and they are his sisters. But…I got away. I told them I was walking out of there, and they weren’t. And I did.” The next part felt more important than anything. “They didn’t. They didn’t walk out of there. ButIdid, Barratt, but I did. I am so damned tired of beingdisposable.”

Her fingers hurt.Everythinghurt.

She didn’t like the way he was staring at her. Not at all. Heather looked down at her bleeding hand.

She still held the hard drive.Hewas a man with power. Lots of power. Everyone knew that. He was a Barratt, after all. Every damned street in her neighborhood was named after Barratts,even. She held it out. “This…you are a man with power, I think. Far more powerthan I will ever have. I know that we Colesons…we don’tmatterhere in Finley Creek. We’re just cannon fodder. Disposable to people like the chief and the governor, and…Butthead McKellen. But Barratts matter here. You probably can do more with this than I ever can, I think.”

He took it. Put it in his jacket pocket. Even though there was blood on it. But he could just buy another jacket. He had that kind of money.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. I just know…the man…with a scar…took it from the office. Before…he tried…to touch me. He was going to do whatever he wanted to me, and then he was going to kill me when he was done. He told me that too. But he’s the one that is dead now. Not me. When he was dead, I took it out of his pocket instead.” Heather tried to pull in a deep breath, but couldn’t. She hurt so much. “I knew it was important to them. He saidthe boss would kill him if he lost it, so I took it. Because it’s important to them. And then I got away.”

She just looked at him and kept talking. “He was the one who hit your sister too. You probably want to make them pay for that. So I think you will give that to the right people. For taking her, scaring her, hurting her. She was so afraid. I hated that Powell was so afraid, and I couldn’t fix it for her. Being that afraid, with your baby inside you, it…you never forget that feeling, Barratt. You just never can forget the fear that your baby will die inside you while a man is hurting you. I can’t. I can’t forget how that feels. I didn’t want Powell to be that afraid forever too.”

“I do want them to pay. And for you too. Come inside, baby. Let me get you inside. The TSP is waiting. And your family. They are all waiting for you, looking for you.”

“My family wouldn’t…be with yours. They just wouldn’t. We aren’tlikeyour side. We aren’t on the same side, Barratt. Weknowthat. We’re not. We’re not a real part of your world at all. Not people like you. We’re…the secrets people like you want to hide. The ones…people like you use. That’s all.”

“Baby, there are no sides. Let me just get you inside. You can get help there.”

Heather nodded. But when he reached for her, she stepped back. She just wasn’t ready. “I don’t want to go inside there yet. I don’t want to see the TSP right now. Not until I can…think. My head hurts. Where that one man hit me that first time.” Her hand went to her head. It hurt so much. And her shoulder. Her arm. Her chest where that one Powell had seen in Wyoming had kicked her so hard.

“How…how many times did he hit you?” he asked after he cleared his throat a little.

“I didn’t count. He was hitting me and choking me. Just like Steve did all those times he would break into my apartment. I moved so many times, Barratt. But Steve always found me. I really want to forget that right now, but I can’t. But…I forgot your name. I’m sorry. I should probably remember your name. But my head really hurts. I—should probably give that drive to Gunnar, though. I thinkI can trust him. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt Powell, I don’t think. He loves her. He really does. And she loves him too. I just don’t thinksherealizes that yet. Or…maybe Murdoch…but he’s on McKellen’s side, really, I think. Not our family’s. Murdoch is on the governor’s side. Because of his new wife. I should remember that. I don’t really have anyone onmy side,you know. Not here. Just Miguel. Justmy family. Not on my family’s side either. I hate this city. I wish we had never come here.”

Heather closed her eyes and tried tothink.But she couldn’t. “I hate it here, and I hate the TSP so much it makes me vomit every single day before I have to go in there. Every time I evenlookat Daniel McKellen and the chief, I feel so sick now. I have nightmares about the TSP every damned night now. But I can’t quit. I just can’t.”

“Why can’t you quit, baby?”

His hand was cupping her face so lightly. He smelled so good. Better than those bastards from before. He felt warm. She was so cold right now. She tilted her head into his hand. She really needed warm right now.

“Tell me. The doctors are coming. They are coming now to get you. To take care of you. I will keep you safe until you are with your family again, I swear.”

“I can’t quit. I can’t. Without my badge, I have no power at all. I am nobody without it. They told me that years ago. Stillman and his friends. The first time Steve hit me. Trying to make me lose my Frankie. Steve said…he said he would get rid of that little problem. And I was so afraid he was killing my baby that day. If I lose my badge, then I can’t keep my family safe. My babies. All I ever wanted was to keep us all safe. But I can’t do that here. I just can’t.”

“I’ll help you be safe again, Heather. I promise I will. No matter what I have to do.”

“Why should you even care, though? You aren’t like us.You aren’t. You are just like that cocky asshole Luc and that manipulative bastard Daniel McKellen and the governor and the chief. Powerful men who don’t live in the real world. Men who enjoy usingothers so you can get what youwant. No matter who gets hurt. That’s hard to miss, you know. Most of us are just…so powerless. I’m so tired. When do the nightmares end, Barratt?Do people like you and Luc have nightmares, too, or are you too damned powerful to even have those?”

“It’s okay; you’ll be okay now. You’ll be okay, Heather. I’ll make sure of it.” His hands were on her waist now.

Because he was all that was holding her up right now.

“But why should I believe you?” It had to be because of Powell. That was all. “Why would you even care about me? You’re paid to care about Luc. And he hates us. I know how it works. I know.”

There was someone next to him now.

Someone smaller. A woman. Hazel eyes and glasses. Heather knew her. But it took her a moment to place her. “Nikkie Jean. You are Nikkie Jean, I think. One of my…nephews’ wives. But I can’t remember which one you are married to right now. I’m sorry. My head hurts from where they hit me.”

“Heather, thank God. We have been so worried,” her nephew’s wife said. She almost sounded like she meant it.

“Worried about Powell, I know. She’s really okay? I was so worried for her. I tried…to give her lots of time to get away before I did what I had to do. I knew she was afraid and she didn’t want to leave me there, but I made her go. I knew…I knew they’d come after me and not her, if they thought we were both escaping. They hated me because of what happened to Steve. I knew they’d want me more. So…I made sure they heard me and not her. So they would come aftermeinstead.”

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